[L'Anarchie chez Guignol]

1

[L'Anarchie chez Guignol]

Punch and Judy

Upon the left side of the scene the spectator perceives a small cabinet for a Punch-and-Judy show; there are arranged in front some well-behaved boys and girls who are patiently waiting for the curtain to be drawn aside. The performance begins, and the marionettes delight the children with their antics. They start to beat one another with sticks, and in their excitement they leap out of the box on to the floor in front, meanwhile becoming living midgets without letting up on their scrapping. The manager of the show comes out from behind the curtains and strives passionately to beat back his marionettes into their places where they ought to have remained. But they push the impresario aside and suddenly become the size of natural men. Then they rush at him with redoubled blows, and finally hurry away. Afterwards the children pommel the unfortunate director and bury him in confetti.